Spiced baked apples | Brown sugar | Caramel | Whiskey-soaked barrel char | Candy apple | Ethanol | Well integrated

Brown sugar | Cinnamon powder | Rye spice | Vanilla | Cinnamon apple pie | Cinnamon spice | Charred oak | Caramel | Bold

Cinnamon spice | Rye spice | Light baking spices | Medium oak | Apple pie | Building heat

Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8 Special Release Single Barrel Whiskey is the latest special release from Jack Daniel’s that capitalizes on the Coy Hill name. After 2022’s barnstormer release that saw proof points of over 150, consumers have been clamoring for the company to release more from the famed Coy Hill barrelhouses. The company certainly listened, pulling 258 barrels for this single barrel release.

There are a few differences between the previous Coy Hill barrel strength release in 2021 and this year’s edition. Whereas the 2021 Coy Hill release was composed of barrels from barrelhouses 8 & 13, the whiskey in this release all comes from a single lot of barrels that were barreled and entered the barrelhouse 8 on Coy Hill on September 4, 2013. Additionally, while the barrels from 2021’s release were pulled from the 8th floor, also known as the buzzards roost due to it being the top floor, this year’s release was pulled from the 5th and 6th floors. The whiskey was never moved after being laid to rest, and according to Master Distiller Chris Fletcher, it was bottled just 3 weeks shy of being 11 years old. This release consists of barrels ranging in proof from 122-137.5, with barrels from the 6th floor typically comprising the higher proof offerings.

The sip opens with an underlying vein of a classic Jack Daniel’s aroma, letting you know that this is both something familiar and new. Spiced baked apples and brown sugar layer with caramel and whiskey-soaked barrel char. There is a dose of ethanol, but that should be expected, and it thankfully doesn’t take away from the opening. The bold midpoint brings a slurry of cinnamon in various forms, along with brown sugar, charred oak, and caramel. The sip ends with cinnamon and rye spice, which are joined briefly by baking spices, oak, and a sweet note of apple pie. As could be expected due to its proof, a building heat lingers, leaving you plenty of time to mull over the sip.

Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8 Special Release Whiskey is sure to cause a mass stampede to acquire a bottle due to the Coy Hill name alone. Add in the fact that not only is this a very good whiskey, but it’s also priced extremely reasonably for a special release in this day and age, and Jack Daniel’s has a winning formula on their hands for 2024.